What Causes Mental Illness?

There is no single cause for mental illness. A person may experience a mental illness because of many factors, including:

Genetics: Mental illness may be passed down genetically (ex. from a parent or grandparent to a child). Having a family member with mental illness does NOT mean you will have the illness too, but you may be more likely to develop a mental illness than someone who does not have the same genetic link.*Definition provided by kidshealth.org.

Brain Chemistry: Our brains are made up of billions of neurons, which communicate with each other through chemicals. Mental illness may occur if there is an imbalance in those chemicals.

Life experiences (environmental factors): These can include but are not limited to:

CONTACT CMHA & YouthSMART

NOTE: The Canadian Mental Health Association – Calgary Region does not provide crisis services. If you are in immediate need of assistance contact the Distress Centre’s 24-hour Crisis Line at 403 266 HELP (4357).